Alabama football is heating up on the recruiting trail, and Kalen DeBoer and company can expect a big summer full of high-level commitments to pour in for the Crimson Tide. Alabama hosted some of the nation's best prospects for A-Day this past weekend. Late Saturday afternoon following the practice, the Tide landed a commitment from 4-star, in-state DL Kamhariyan Johnson.
Johnson's commitment is likely just the beginning of a big run coming for Alabama.
On Monday, On3 recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong logged a flurry of predictions based on intel he has received. Two of those predictions are for big-time prospects to land in Tuscaloosa.
Wiltfong logged RPM predictions for 5-star WR Cederian Morgan and 5-star RB Ezavier Crowell, two of the three best prospects in the state of Alabama for the 2026 class in the composite rankings, to land with the Crimson Tide.
Morgan, an Alexander City native, is the No. 3 WR in the country in the composite rankings. He holds offers from all the heavy hitters, but most experts believe this is an in-state battle between Alabama and Auburn. Morgan is scheduled to announce his commitment on July 2nd.
Crowell, a Jackson Native, is the No. 2 RB in the country in the composite rankings. Crowell reclassified from the 2027 class into the 2026 class and has long been looked at as a lean to the Crimson Tide. He has made many visits to Tuscaloosa. Crowell plans to take visits and has a commitment scheduled for New Year's Eve, but DeBoer and Alabama will be pushing to get a commitment out of him before then.
DeBoer and Alabama looking to dominant in-state recruiting in 2026
Auburn and Hugh Freeze took advantage of the lack of relationships built with local recruits in the 2025 class by a new Alabama staff and dominated the state in this past cycle. Alabama only signed two players from the state in 2025, an obviously unsustainable recruiting strategy.
DeBoer and staff are looking to turn the tables in the 2026 cycle and they are off to a great start. Alabama already has two commitments from in-state prospects with Johnson and 4-star CB Zyan Gibson from Gadsden. 4-star edge Jamarion Matthews is effectively an in-state recruit, too, but he moved to Georgia for his senior year of high school.
Morgan and Crowell are the No. 2 and No. 3 prospects in the state for the 2026 class. Alabama is also in heavy consideration for the No. 1 player in the state, DE Anthony Jones from Mobile. 4-star edge Jaquez Wilkes from Wadley is the No. 6 player in the state. Alabama is in good position for him, too.
It's not out of the realm of possibility that Alabama signs the top three and five of the top six players in the state during this cycle.
Recruiting is always fluid, and there's a long way to go before signing day, but DeBoer and GM Courtney Morgan have Alabama in a good position with some elite prospects.